Witch Hunt
by Malina Scarlette
Summary: We all start somewhere, even the special infected. Trina ventures unwillingly into the world of fictitious infected. Or so they thought. Who knew things would end so suddenly? Chapter 9 is up!
1. Text Express

Why couldn't the train ever be empty? Just once I would have liked to not be cramped against another stranger's sweat protruded body. Ugh. A round man in a wife-beater shoved his way through the crowd and made his way to the empty seat beside me. As if he could fit in it. As soon as he got there, a bewildered expression crept over his features, his eyes became sad. She just eyed him warily. Grunting softly, he put his hands up to grasp the bar above his head, spraying me with sweat. I cringed and squeezed my eyes together, pursing my lips in disgust. God damn. I thought about wiping it off, but then the foreign perspiration would be all over my hands. I settled for my shirt and gingerly wiped my face clean.

This was my typical Tuesday morning before the bell rang. I lived too far away to take a bus, so I took the train. Mom drives me sometimes when she doesn't have work, usually Mondays. She's a lawyer, so I hardly see her. Once my stop arrived, I stood up, glared at the man, and wormed my way past him and the passerby in the cart. I hopped out and made my way to the stairs leading above ground. A puddle formed at the base.

Rain. Wonderful. I pulled my uniformed jacket tighter around my body and buttoned it up before tightening the matching hair bow-hideous thing- that kept my blonde hair out of my face. My mom complained that it was so platinum in color that she feared I might be albino. I dispatched the idea off the bat. Tests the next week revealed I was normal, save thinner blood and iron deficiency- no doubt a factor from all the blood thinners I take to get rid of my throbbing headaches. The doctor prescribed me medication for anemia and I haven't taken it since.

Water continued to pool at my feet, so I thought it best to continue. One step at a time I made my way up the steps, bracing myself for the cold, hard wind that threatened to knock me over. I pushed myself through across the street to my school and ran to the door. Nothing happened. I pushed again. Nothing. Locked. Damn. Too early for the school to open its doors. It's fucking raining, for God sake! Ugh! I hit my head against the glass and slid, ungracefully to the wet ground. My short skirt rose above my thighs and wrinkled below my stomach. Skirts get shorter and shorter these days. Doesn't bother me.

"Hey, Trina, what's up?" I looked up to find Daniel hovering over me, his eyes slowly tracing my bare legs, from my sock-covered shins to my naked thighs.

"I could have stayed in bed for this." He laughed and dropped his bag which he proceeded to sit on.

"Your butt is going to be wet. Everyone one will be staring." I shrugged. I eyed the way his black curls hung by his cheeks, and his lively green eyes danced in mirth. Perfect lips twisted into a charming smile. Lady's man, except he was a dork who watched Power Rangers all day and enjoyed doing Chemistry equations. He turned to me. "Hey, did you text me this morning?"

My eyebrows furrowed slightly and took my phone out of my pocket. I waved the shut- down device in his face. "Haven't turned it on yet."

"Huh. That's strange." He pulled his out as well and began scrolling through his texts.

"What?"

"It's probably nothing." He handed me his phone.

Unknown Sender:

Must evacuate, now!

"Wow. That's weird. It's probably some prick pranking you."

"I thought that too." He shook his head, sending rain drops spiraling everywhere. I wiped it off my face and raised a brow.

"But?" I sat up, and crossed my legs, letting the material drape over my private area.

"My neighbor came out to ask me about it on my way here. He got it too." He took his phone back and fiddled with it again. I switched mine on, humoring him. After a minute nothing happened so I put it in my backpack. No sooner had I put it away than it began to buzz. I retrieved it and froze. "What is it?"

"Same." I stared at the evacuation notice. Stupid boys. Always trying to start something. I deleted it and tossed my cell back in my bag. Just then, a teacher came over and unlocked the door. "Finally." I stood up, smoothed my skirt, wiped my shoes on the mat, and headed for the girl's bathroom. Daniel decided he was going to wait outside the door.

I don't know how long I was in there for, a good thirty minutes trying to dry my skirt and hair, but I exited just as the bell rang for classes to start. True to his word, he was still there when I left. I put a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, don't worry about it. I'm sure it's just a prank. Meet you for lunch in the café."

Biology has to be the most boring thing I've ever sat through, next to math. I headed to history. I had just set foot outside my math class when I face planted in the middle of the hallway. I looked up to see Jessica Parley looming over me with a sneer. The epitome of beauty. Seven time winner of the pageant contest, with a rack that would make a straight woman turn. Not to mention the honey locks that framed her heart shaped face, accented by soft eye brows and icy blue eyes. "You should watch where your walking, cupcake."

"Just slipped, buttercup." I leaned back and stared up her skirt. "Get a wax?" Her face turned beat red. "I hear there's a new invention called panties, not that I personally care your preference." Her jaw set and her eyes narrowed, dangerously sparking.

"You better watch those pretty lips. Or I'll just cut them off." She thinks I'm pretty. How thoughtful.

"You're just upset that we didn't work out, love." I pushed myself to my feet and watched her storm passed me in an effort to make it to class ahead of me. I couldn't resist. My hand lashed out and gripped her ass. "Still firm." She turned to slap me but I grabbed her wrist.

"Don't you effing dare touch me again." She snapped with her other hand and two of her cronies grabbed me and hauled off her.

"Hey! What the hell are you doing? Let me go!" I hollered. None of the teachers so much as peeked out of their classrooms. Jessica flipped her hair back and grinned triumphantly. I somehow ended up in the bathroom with two twig sized girls pounding the hell out of my stomach with their fists.

"She's been wanting to do that for a long time now." I'm sure. I gritted my teeth and ignored their little comments. Jessica just couldn't do it herself. Finally they let go of me and I sunk to the floor, heaving in pain. I clutched my stomach. I glanced at the watch on my wrist. Crap! Ten minutes late! I got to my feet and sprinted down the hallway, entering the class disheveled.

"Nice of you to join us, Miss Callaway."

"Upset stomach." I made way to my seat in the back of class. My butt hit the chair and my phone went off. Mrs. Grayer turned around.

"Miss Callaway." The black woman's eyes narrowed. "I will not tolerate disruptions in my class. That's your second strike." Could this day get any worse? I unzipped my bag while the class snickered and giggled.

"She's probably been texting in the bathroom." Jessica's voice piped up.

"That's it. Give me the phone, Callaway." My hand wrapped around my black Rant and froze as every phone in the room began buzzing and chiming. The class scrambled to shut them off and looked at each other in confusion. My heart stilled.

Unknown Sender:

Evacuate immediately. An epidemic is sweeping the state.


	2. Epic Epidemic

Looks like the confusion over the prank text messages have past. I made my way to the lunchroom as soon as the bell rang. I barely avoided Grayer's wrath. She looked up and I was long gone, whizzing past the crowded hallways, ducking under swung open locker doors. I was freaking starving. The only way to satisfy that hunger was to be the first in line to get yummy food.

Awesome, tacos baby! I swiped a tray and slid it down the metal counter, grabbing first my chocolate milk, pudding cup, and banana. Then I continued where the lady plopped a cup of Mexican rice into a square compartment on my tray. I scooted down to receive the tortilla, followed by the beef, beans, and cheese. Near the end of the line, I scooped some tomatoes on my plate and grabbed a cupcake. I relinquished my cold hard cash and searched for my best friend.

Daniel waved at me from the corner. Sweet! He'd saved me a good seat. Weaving through the mass of bodies that had already accumulated in the cafeteria, I made my way over to the table and plopped myself down in an un-lady-like manner. I didn't even bother smoothing or tucking my skirt. "Hey, how was class?" I asked before taking a huge bite out of my cupcake. Mm, sprinkles.

"Boring, I guess." I knew that tone. His eyes lied planted on his tray, stirring his rice needlessly around the tray.

"You're making a mess." I said quickly. He barely looked up at me, preferring to peer at me through long cast down lashes. He gave me a wry smile. "What's wrong?"

He shrugged. "My dad hasn't replied to any of my texts today. It's probably nothing, but he usually replies quickly."

"He's probably busy and forgot about the messages." I said reassuringly as I bit into my seeping taco. Mm, the juices were incredible.

"I got another message during class."

"Me too. You better eat that before I do." I pointed at his plate, even though my tray was heaping with food. Thank god for a high metabolism.

"What do you think it means?" I rolled my eyes.

"It means that your food isn't safe." He tilted his head and gave the "really?" look. I sighed and wiped my mouth. "It means some guy is out there scaring the hell out of everyone." Whoever was behind it was in for an ass kicking once I figured it out. Somehow I managed to scarf down all my food and most of Daniel's before we parted ways.

It was still raining after the bell signaled the end of classes for the day. Jessica snuck into my peripheral vision. "Got a date with the albino club?" Her voice was so snotty. I wish I had a remote to toy with it. I could make it deep like a body builder's. Bet no one would want to do that.

"Actually, we don't meet until Thursday. Unfortunately, you're not pale enough for entry. Too bad. We could use an ugly face to cheer up some of the girls." Ding! Round 2 goes to me! She stormed off, to infuriated for words, or too trounced to make a comeback. Either or, I win.

When I stepped outside, the air was eerily quiet. Even the birds weren't out. Stupid. That's because it was raining. No bird would be out showering in public display. Within moments, I was drenched and cold. Biting back shivers and darted to the subway and slipped in a puddle on the stone ground, landing on my backside. I groaned and sat up stiffly, rubbing my butt in the process.

The wind swept me forward in a powerful rush of force, causing me to grab the lamppost for support. It was then that I noticed no one was out. Duh. I looked across the sidewalk. I didn't want to trip down the stairs and risk injury, especially since my mom couldn't get me. I spotted my favorite burger joint, Burger Bob's, and made a mad dash for the door. I slid and slipped my way to the glass frame but ran right into it. When I peeled my face off the building, I read the "closed" sign. What the hell? Burger Bob's never closes. Below it was a notice.

'Due to unforeseen circumstances, the owner and his employees are taking a leave of absence due to illness. They hope to make a speedy recovery to better serve their customers upon their return.' Illness? He should wash his hands more often. My mind suddenly reeled. Was it the epidemic? I shrugged. Sopping wet, oh well, couldn't get worse now. Cold ran down my back in wet trickles causing me to shiver in response.

Finally below ground, safe from the relentless rain, I sat on a bench to wait for the train. My muscles sighed as they eased back. Even the hard bench couldn't keep the relaxation away. That's the thing when you're exhausted- even the most uncomfortable places are made more comfortable. I became increasingly aware of the lack of people. There were several passerby in the subway, but fewer than my usual Tuesdays. Club activities? Work? People suddenly had things to do on a rainy day. About time somebody acknowledged that a little liquid never hurt nobody. I mean we shower every day. At least we should.

The train came, I got on, same old, same old, just less people involved. Looks like I was getting my wish, I finally had a seat I could prop my feet on and still have plenty of room to let me arms flop around. A man across from me coughed loudly into his hand. Damn sick people making more sick people. Why do you go to work ill and spread your harmful bacteria to others when you could be at home leaving everybody else be? I don't understand stupid people.

He coughed again. Annoyed, I turned my attention on him. He had deep purple bags under his eyes from lack of sleep, no doubt. His skin was a pasty, pale, white sagging against his bones. Bones? He had to only be in his thirties. The man looked as if he hadn't eaten in a week. I gripped the pole beside him and put his head between his legs, hacking up a storm. "Excuse me."

He looked up at me. "Yeah, you. What you have?" I certainly didn't want to come down with it. He looked ghastly. He gave me a far off look.

"Must be the flu or somethin'. Wreaking havoc on everybody lately." I swear he went back to hacking up a lung this time. "It's everywhere. Just got it…" Cough. Cough-cough. "this morning." Yeah, right. I snorted. The flu didn't kill you that fast. It doesn't even kill you. He glared at me, his eyes clouding over.

A middle aged woman leaned over. "Hey, now, you look awful."

"I fine." Love the grammar, dude. He rubbed his temples roughly trying to dispel a sneaky headache and grunted in pain.

"You should see a doctor." The woman put her hand on his shoulder and he snapped at her. Literally. He jumped up and seized her arm. She screamed but his sickly face only contorted with disgust. He struck her jaw with his fist, rendering her awestruck, and then sunk his teeth in his wrist. Gross! I smashed my foot into his knee, sending him crashing into the seats. The woman sobbed on the floor next to the sprawled man's form. He slowly, drunkenly rose to his feet.

"So sorry. Don't know…" Cough. "..what came over me."

"Dude, you need a hospital. The flu doesn't do that." He just looked at me.

"Next stop, No Mercy Hospital." The intercom said in its programmed robotic voice.

"Right." He said.

He actually got off the train at the No Mercy stop. Good riddance. No one listens to me. But would he actually go to the emergency room? Now that was the question and I didn't feel like finding the answer. The woman also departed, but went in the opposite direction of the crazed man. No doubt heading over to the apartments near the hospital.

Mom left me a note as usual for when I got home.

Baked ravioli is in the oven, feel free to heat it back up. Be back in a couple hours.

I checked the clock. 3:32. She'll be home around dinner time. I flopped myself on the couch and switched on the T.V.

"Residents are panicking in a state wide flu epidemic that has strange, unexpected symptoms. CEDA is urging the community to evacuate the state within the next 48 hours or risk becoming infected. We will return with more after the break." Of course. That man said he had the flu, but that was NOT the flu. The government predicted the illness, that's why it's urging the society to evacuate. How did they know? "CEDA has issued state wide text messages, emails, and social networking updates and messaging in an attempt to give people a clue as to what they're fighting. They said that the flu has mutated into a hyper active influenza virus with a few unsettling symptoms that the current medical staff cannot cure due to its new variety. Although, rare, these symptoms can manifest into throbbing stomach pains, excessive vomiting, grouchiness, extreme fatigue, and even violence." Oh yeah, that man is doomed. Now he's going to go infect the entire hospital with his ADHD flu. "Treatment is being issued as an experiment only, but so far has yet to work"

"We urge the state to evacuate now as there is no cure. I repeat, no cure."


	3. Blur

The wind howled relentlessly outside my bedroom window. The green flu news struck a hard cord in my core. My fingers twitched and wrung a strand of hair tightly in its grip. What if my mom caught it? There had to be a cure. If there was one thing I knew, CEDA lies. About everything.

My heart began pounding in my breast. There were quite a few people out today. And it only got worse. My mom never returned home that night. Events at school kept my mind off it. It wasn't unusual for her to spend the night at work. However, when she told me she'd be back, she always came back. Maybe she forgot. The next day there was a whopping 42 people absent from school, including eleven faculty members.

The days stretched endlessly before me. Every day, fewer faculty members appeared on the premises. And every day, I checked the answering machine for word of my mom. Nothing. With this said more students were out sick- gone down with the influenza virus. How many of them were infected with the hyperactive? This many kids out weren't skipping classes. This lead to fewer homework assignments. By the end of week one, more than half the school's population- including employees- were missing.

On Monday of week two, I stepped on the premises of my once prestigious private school too find only twenty students out front. God, I hope the rest are late. I muttered to myself. Each eyed each other wearily. A kid I sat next to in Biology squirted practically a whole bottle of Germ-X into his hands and frantically rubbed them together. Jessica's once sun-kissed glowing skin sat pale and gaunt over her bones.

And the fucking rain! Would it ever stop? I approached Jessica against my better judgment. At first she decided to ignore me. But after a couple minutes of my open staring she turned to me with open arms in the gesture of a hug. "Whoa!" I backed away quickly. "I'm flattered by your lesbianess, but I don't want what you have to offer." She advanced on me.

"It's horribl-" She was suddenly stricken by merciless coughing. I glanced around nervously, noticing how the small crowd kept twenty or more feet away from each other. They were eyeing the potentially dangerous scenario in front of them. Jessica's blonde hair spilled over her shoulders as she bent at the waist, clutching her stomach with one hand and covering her mouth with the other. "I-" cough. "need…a ..frie…nd…They…all…" She heaved for a moment.

"All?"

"Abandoned me…sick.. stop-ped.. text—ing."

"We're not friends just because you're sick. Go home." My voice waivered slightly. Don't touch me. Don't touch me. Don't fucking touch me! I thought at her relentlessly. I don't want it! Just then she heaved a horrid, foul smelling, golden fluid. Appalled, I staggered away from the mess. Okay, no school today. God only knows who else is infected and doesn't know it.

Just as I was turning away a hand lashed onto my shoulder in a painful grip. I gasped in horror and on pure instinct- flung the offending limb away. But as I did so, I heard a sickening crack that could not be mistaken for anything other than bone. Jessica screeched in pain, clenching her right hand tightly just below the wrist.

I paled. The extremity was horrible distorted, bent back in an abnormal position and pressed against the top of her arm. Nausea coiled in the pit of my stomach. "Ugh!" I teetered onto a bench behind me, desperately scrambling away from her ghastly- anorexic form. Her body had been decaying from the disease not from her diet. A grayish tinge infected every inch of her frame as it slinked toward me. "You need a hospital!" No mercy. Go to No Mercy. Leave me alone!

Frantically, I texted Daniel. _Where are you? _I climbed over the bench and onto a wall that dropped more than thirty feet into a stream that ran beneath the school. It would quite famous for running along- side the subway- if only it was supposed to be there. Now that I had successfully trapped myself, I looked on as Jessica clutched her head, emitting gurgles and grunts. "Leave me alone, you slut!" I cried out at her. But at the sound of my voice, she advanced on me again. I took off down the side of the wall, balancing in my speed. God I hope I don't fall. Jessica clambered up and over the bench after me, her dangling hand forgotten.

I glanced behind. God she was fast! Her legs carried her just out of reach. A spur of the moment decision caused me to discard the backpack on my shoulders and let it drop in the middle of my enemy's path. I heard a grunt behind me and a second later a large object struck the side of my head. My feet lost their grip on the stone wall and slipped off the edge, causing my head to bounce of the side. I cried out and desperately, I latched onto the edge of the wall, swaying above the rushing stream below me. I had no clue how deep it was and I didn't want to find out. My ears rang from the impact and swam in and out of focus. My fingers began to slide off the stone. "Help! Someone help me!" I screamed.

Jessica's raging growl commanded my total attention. Oh no… she's lost it. She's insane! She stood on the wall and after an agonizing minute of deliberation, she lifted her leg and began stomping in accurately upon me. Her foot connected with my cheek causing my hands to jerk further back. I gasped. My heart slammed in my chest. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. My breathing came in ragged gasps as panic filled my throat. Another strike, this time on left hand. I cried out in pain as it dropped. Agony flared through my right shoulder as it was forced to bare my entire weight. "Somebody fucking help me!" I'm gonna die. I'm gonna die! I gazed up at the monster that was once my frenemy in terror.

She stiffened above me. One minute she was attacking me and the next I watched her head fly off and her dismembered body fall into the raging water below. I couldn't hold any longer. My hand slipped off the wall in exhaustion from holding my sheer weight. Before I could emit a scream; however, a calloused hand snatched mine just in time. "Sorry, I'm late." Daniel. Tears formed at the corners of my eyes as he heaved me up and over the wall. I collapsed on the ground, gasping for breath.

"You suck." I managed to breathe. "Thanks for coming for me."

"No problem." He hissed slightly. "That's a rather nasty mark on your face." Soft cloth from an ace bandage slid over my face. "I always keep these handy, just in case."

"We should go home."

"Your place, then?" I nodded as he helped me to my feet. I waivered slightly for a moment before he put an arm around my shoulders, securing me to his side.

"Let's get to the Subway."


	4. End of the Line

The Subway

With me by his side, Daniel steered us down the sopping wet stairs toward the train. I staggered into a pillar for support. God, my head fucking hurt. I pressed my palm to my bloodied temple hoping to quell the throbbing migraine threatening to overwhelm me.

"You alright?" Daniel's voice whispered next to me. I nodded.

"Yeah. Peachy."

"That wall hit you pretty hard." Screw the wall. I'm just glad that I didn't get Jessica's infection. Or any of the others she might have had. That reminded me.

"What happened?"

"Jessica was going nuts on you! I didn't even know you were there until you screamed bloody murder and she was beating the shit out of you." I waved him to talk faster. Yeah, yeah. I know this part.

"What took off her head?"

"My backpack." He chuckled and took my head in his hands. "Not like I needed it anyway." He pulled a roll of bandages out of his pocket and began wrapping my temples. "How's that?"

"Good, thank you." Rainwater trickled through cracks in the sidewalk above us and pooled on the ground at our feet. It dawned on me then that a menial noise shouldn't have been distinct during morning rush hour. I looked up and spotted only two adults lingering for the train. "The infection is spreading quickly."

"The Subway is dead."

"Let's just hope that the apartments held out." I pushed myself off the wall and headed toward the transportation wall. My fingers slid down the schedule and rested on the next time slot. "Eight minutes till the next one." I meandered for a couple minutes to kill time and explored the area as I had done many a time before. For some reason, it seemed more exciting considering my early exit from school grounds.

My heart was still going a mile a minute from my last encounter. If that's how all the infected turned out to be, we were screwed. I ran my hand along the rough walls until it met the corner. My hand turned slightly to continue grazing when all of a sudden a loud clatter made me jump. Daniel whirled around to take in the situation. I looked down at what my foot had knocked over. Bent at the waist, I scooped the slim trinket off the floor. It looked like someone had taped the innards of a smoke detector on the outside with a red button strategically placed next to the battery.

"Be careful with that!" Startled by the urgency in his tone, my fingers lost their grip and the item clattered to the floor. Good job, Trina.

"What?" Abruptly, he stood beside me with the white object in his hands.

"This is a pipe bomb. I haven't seen one of these since I did my research paper on them. They were originally designed as war grenades. This appears to be a homemade one, probably concocted in the panicked mind of an infected person." My mind reeled with the possibility of a dozen Jessica's charging her. Not a pleasant sight.

"So, it explodes?" I took it from him, observing the bomb closely.

"In essence. Not sure what this one will do, though. Homies are diff-"

"Ssh!" I put my finger to my lips. Distant growling reached my ears from the streets at that moment, coming nearer. "Do you hear that?"

"What's that?" Daniel asked with a hitch in his voice. My eyes roved the length of the low ceiling as if they could see through it. Loud howls pierced the chilly morning air. Oh, no. My heart remembered that sound for it pounded fiercely in my chest. Jessica's screams, but highly intensified. There were more. A hell of a lot more.

No sooner were the thoughts expressed than the pounding of feet on slick stone rushed through the entryway to the sub. A wild gasp escaped my throat as a horde of sickened teenagers engulfed Area 1. Instinct drove me do nail the first teeth barred body in the head with the pipe bomb. My arm flailed about frantically, swiping at as many bodies as possible. Oh god! This was fucking insane!

I was too busy to note Daniel's condition as a fist sunk into my stomach. I cried out as the impact jarred me against the wall. I gazed out in horror at the onslaught of the students-turned-zombie I had just seen not ten minutes ago. Half dispersed in Daniel's direction, the rest in mine. They had me surrounded. One peeked its head over my shoulder barring it's disgusting teeth. I screamed and slugged its temple as hard as I could. It staggered back, but I kept pummeling it until it dropped dead.

I had no time to admire my work as my attention was otherwise engaged with the other eighteen putrid living-dead. They wildly flung jabs at me, in any direction that would make contact, attacking blind as it were. A female in torn business attire ripped her nails along my arm. I snatched it away and smashed my fist into her nose. Her head snapped back against the corner, splattering blood on its tarnished stone. She didn't get up. Crap! Crap! Too much!

As I opened my mouth to call for Daniel, his voice resonated in the underground. "Trina! Trina! The bomb! Us the bomb! Agh!" His howl of pain tore through my heart. Oh god! He was down! The infected surrounded his fetal form, kicking and stomping. "Trinaaa!" Right! Jerked from my shock, I let my thumb press the red button to light the fuse.

I flung the grenade as far as I possibly could. "Fire in the hole!" The pipe bomb began ticking loudly accompanied by a red flashing light that called the zombies' attentions. They whirled away from their victims and made a mad dash after the flashy "toy".

Just then the train flew through and ground to a halt in front of the station. I grabbed Daniel's arm and heaved him to his feet. "Does it look bad?" Other than his face covered in blood, and bruises forming on his arms, and most likely his torso, and his shoulder popped up slightly out of socket…

"Nope. You're gonna be okay." The bomb's explosion sent streams of rock flying from the stairs in our direction. Sharp pebbles pelted our flesh as we struggled to regain our balance. Probably killed my burger shop. Oh well. Not gonna be having burgers anytime soon anyway. Daniel shuddered once on his feet.

"Get to the train!" He yelled. The zombies we hadn't killed rushed back after us. I darted into the car and turned to wait for him. He's not going to make it!

"Daniel!" I reached out for his arm and wrenched him inside just as the doors closed on their faces. We collapsed in a heaving heap on the hard floor. I didn't care what it felt like. As far as I was concerned, that floor was heaven at that moment. "What the hell is happening?"

Blood coated my once pure uniform shirt, in sharp contrast to the tattered skirt, though I had no idea whose blood it was; mine or his. My mom paid sixty bucks for this uniform. She's gonna kill me! Shakily, I pushed myself to my hands in knees, trying to avoid any sensitive spots. I hissed as my slashes arm slid against one of the cushioned seats.

Daniel lied panting on the floor. "That…. Was…. Insane."

"Oh! Let me get you back on your feet." Ignoring the gash stinging like hell and bleeding freely, I sat my best friend up and watched as his head flopped to the side. His eyes glazed over. "You don't look so good."

"I feel like shit." I tore the bottom of my ruined shirt, not like it matters at this point anyway, and gingerly touched his face with it. "Ow!" He jerked next to me as if I dumped hot water on him.

"I'm sorry! What is it? Did I hurt you?" My hands fluttered over him, trying to find the source of his pain. But I didn't know where to start. The broken arm, the blood flowing freely from his nostrils, the dark bruises already distorting his handsome face. Anything that wasn't swollen or broken, was a bloody mess.

"No…" He gasped as his fingers mercilessly ripped his button-down from collar to shoulder, revealing a nasty, sizzling mark.

"Is that…" Oh god! On further inspection, I noticed teeth grooves in his dying flesh. I flung myself away from him. I don't want it! I don't want it! Stay away! Panic fluttered in my chest cavity. Fuck. No! Why Daniel! Why?

"It may be nothing, Tri." He moaned and pushed himself up to a more comfortable position, but rested his head against the balance pole. "I could be immune. Just got beat up bad. Once we get to your place I can clean up." He fumbled around his pockets for more bandages. He was right. Why should I believe that just because everyone else around me was becoming a fucking zombie that my best friend would be immune to the infectious spread? Gee, I don't know.

Slowly, hesitantly, I crawled toward him until the coughing began. His fingers had just wrapped around the gauze when a barrage of coughs struck him. He raised his fist to his mouth. Just then his eyes widened in fear, his whole body shook violently, limbs flailed at his sides. His face washed of all color, contorted in pain. He's suffocating! "Daniel!" I screamed. I rushed to his aid heedless of his flailing arms that knocked me to the side. My head struck the seats opposite of his position. That's the second time my head has been a prime target within a matter of minutes.

His body convulsed for a few seconds more before he flopped on his side and heaved a urine-colored fluid all over the car. Ugh! It smelled rotten! My stomach clenched at the sight as I scrambled to the far back of the cabin. No, no, no! My heart threatened to leap out of my throat at the sight of Daniel pulling himself to his feet, limping in his efforts. "Get…back… herrrreeeee." His hoarse voice felt like a thousand needless penetrating my skin. His gaunt flesh began shifting to that horrid gray hue. I shook my head violently.

"No… no…" My back made contact with the door behind me. The handle shoved itself into my back. The door! Daniel growled ferociously and leapt at me. I turned and yanked the door open, flinging it into his face. It was enough to send him staggering back. I pulled it closed behind me and raced down the empty car. Something… Must find something… Anything! "Please!" My face squinched in terror as I heard glass shatter, followed by a grunt that could not be identified as male or female. But I knew. I knew my best friend pursued me. And not in the good way.

My foot caught a groove in the walkway that sent me sprawling to the floor. Fuck! I need different shoes! With Daniel just a few feet away, I was at the end of the line. I glanced around the seats. Someone must have left something; they always do. Not a penny. Although, in my desperation, I flung the coin at Daniel. It had no effect. He lunged at me catching my shoulder with his fist on his way down. Not the smartest tac in the box. I kicked him and launched myself in the opposite direction where I came face to face with an umbrella.

Fuck yeah, I'll take it! I whipped the umbrella into Daniel's oncoming shins. He grunted and stomped on my leg. I cried out and swept my foot underneath him. He crashed to the ground, giving me enough time to get to my feet. He got to his feet. And then I didn't stop. I smashed his face in with my weapon over and over again tears streaming down my face in heart wrenching sobs. I whipped it into his sides, his head relentlessly, causing him to move backwards, unbalanced. He teetered but regained footing. But I wouldn't let him get me. I shoved the umbrella, with all the force I had left forward, sending it sailing right through him.

He didn't even utter a sound before his corpse collapsed. Shock clenched me in its massive grip, paralyzing me, save my quaking. Blood pooled around my best friend's body; tears slid down my soiled cheeks.

"Please exit now for the Apartments."


	5. Short Fuses

***Author's note: So sorry it's taken me so long to create this chapter. I've been busy this particular chapter gave me some difficulty, but inspiration took its course and here it is. Hope you enjoy it!**

**Also, note that the places are in correct order from appearance in the game.**

_He stood there, solemnity written all over his facial features. Oh, god! I was on the train. I backed away instinctively, despite the lack of scarring on his body. Daniel glanced at me and I looked away. "How does it look, Tri?" I squeezed my eyes shut at the agony in his voice. I couldn't save him. My best friend. I couldn't… prevent his…death. Tears sprang to my eyes. When I looked up his body was horribly decayed. His eyes sunk low in their sockets, teeth barred behind charred, chapped, gray lips. Areas of his flesh indicated lacerations. Huge bruises adorned his arms and wobbly legs. His torso had shrunk to that of an anorexic's dream. His clothes hung loosely about his deteriorated form. _

_ I screamed. "Is it bad, Tri? Is it really bad?" His voice began changing into a low groaning. "My stomach aches, Tri. Like acid in my bowels. I need some water." Suddenly, I remembered that there was a bottle of water in my backpack. I shrugged off the bag, and rummaged around until I found it. Good ol' Ozarka. I handed it to him, but when I looked up, he looked as if nothing had ever happened to him. _

_ No feature was misplaced. The bruises had vanished, his eyes sparkled with life, and his lips were a deep rosy red. Blinking several times at my delusion, I handed him the bottle. When he didn't take it, I glanced at him, fearing he might change back into a decrepit, walking corpse again. "Silly, Tri. I'm not thirsty." He smiled and it lit up the train. I bit my lip uncertainly. _

_ The dream took a boring turn. He chattered away for hours about how school was and how he hated my teacher for almost kicking me out of class for my phone- an event that happened days ago. "I can't believe she did that. Sorry I couldn't be there today to straighten it out." _

_ "Yeah, no, it's okay." I mumbled. My head began spinning. "Daniel, that happened almost a week ago." I admitted. His eyebrows rose in shock. _

_ "No, it happened today. Are you sure you didn't hit your head, Tri? You're covered in blood." I gazed down at my attire. _

_ "Yeah, but, I think it's your-" I gasped as his body began shifting into that terrible zombie appearance. I coward against the seat, lost my composure, and slid against the wall, just as he leaned over and heaved. _

_ "It hurts so much, Tri. You have to get out of here. It's not safe. You're room isn't safe." My room? _

_ "But I'm not-" Abruptly, my dream whirled and when I looked up he was laboring against my bed frame, gasping for breath. Sweat trickled over his graying body, once toned and sexy. A body I had admired on my best friend since Kindergarten. _

_ "Get to Mercy Hospital, babe. You have to go to Mercy Hospital. He'll help you." He…?_

_ "He who? Wait! Where are you going?" He began to fade from view, a tense smirk on his lips. _

_ "Go to Mercy Hospital. He'll hel…."_

_ "Don't leave me!" _

I started awake with the jolt of the train car. Shit. Must have passed out in my shock. Groggily, I sat up and realized I had fallen asleep with my head on the seat where a passenger's buttocks would go, while the rest of my body curled up on the floor. I rubbed my neck gingerly and gazed around disoriented.

Oh, shit! Where am I? I jolted to my feet and studied the current train route studiously. I missed the apartment exit. Oh, crap, crap. I don't go anywhere else. School and home. That's how it typically goes. Guess what, Trina? You're a fool. You're also a fool venturing out into uncharted zombieland. Congrats. I groaned and plopped my ass onto a hard seat. As if my day couldn't get any worse.

Almost eaten by my rival, attacked by a mob of zombies, killed my best friend… A wave of anguish crashed over me. My eyes fell on his corpse. I lurched to my feet and pressed my back to the doors, willing them to open. Oh, my god! Oh, god! Open, please open! My chest burned with panic. I swear my stomach flew up my throat. I couldn't utter a sound. "Exit now for the Red line station." The train jerked to a halt, swinging open its sliding doors, in doing so, spilling my body into the waiting pad.

I jumped back up hurling my unbalanced body into a muscular mass that sent me sprawling back on my ass. I slid several feet away, gasping for breath when my eyes came face to face with the barrel of a pump shot gun. "No!" I screamed. "Stop!" I threw my hands up in front of my face. A distinctive click caused my body to jump and my eyes to clench shut. But nothing happened. The shot I had expected never came.

"Shit. You look horrible." His deep voice blurted mercilessly. Gee. Great first impression. Quivering, I looked up to find he had strapped the gun on his back and had extended his arm to help me up. I ignored the gesture and pushed myself to my feet. Not going to take the hand that nearly killed me. Add near death experience to the list of mishaps in my day.

"Are you fucking insane! You could have killed me!"

"Fuck! I had no idea." He smirked and turned his back on me. Anger boiled to my lips.

"How dare you just turn away from me after nearly blowing my brains out?" Lazily, he pivoted, taking the pump shotgun in his right hand in doing so.

"First of all, I don't owe you a damn thing, hun." He thrust the gun into the ground before me and preferred to lean on it casually. "And secondly, my motto is 'shoot anything that moves.' And you, my dear, moved right on top of me." I blushed at the implied pun. Who the hell did he think he was? King of jackasses?

"Excuse me for not wanting to die today." I brushed dirt off my skirt, but didn't bother trying to be lady like in the process. Although, I had no doubt he was watching. He snorted and trudged off.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Last time I checked, I don't answer to you. But if you _must _know, I could get laid right about now."

"Zombie coitous. Lovely." An exasperated sigh escaped my lips. My outfit was doomed. If I lived another day- which I had all intentions of doing- I'd have to find something decent to wear. He whirled on me, clearly trying not to show his surprise at my mockery. An act I ignored in feigned favor of my soiled uniform.

"I'm sure a virgin like you would just jump at the chance to do me." Ugh. The end of the world definitely spared no hormonal changes for the surviving penises.

"I'm sorry, were you talking to me?" I gave him a sly, innocent look. His jaw tensed.

"You know what, forget it. I did my good deed for today." Once again, he took off, leaving me to question whether I had handled the critical situation well or not. He _was_ the only non-infected of my genus I'd come across.

I dragged my feet behind him, alerting him to my presence. "What do you think you're doing?" He cocked his head over his shoulder, a fire burning in his eyes.

"I thought… I thought…maybe… I could tag along… Ya know, 'cuz we're not sick." I stuttered.

"I'm not a taxi service." He retorted, but he didn't refute my claim. If he was bothered by my continuing presence, he didn't say anything. In fact, he didn't talk to me at all. Several times, he stopped dead in front of me, causing me to run smack into his back. "Just can't keep off of me…" I'd hear him mutter suggestively under his breath; though the comment was aimed at me, he made no attempt to direct it_ to_ me.

After that I kept my distance of five feet trailing him. We passed several abandoned shops, some with their lights left on; others had burned out, leaving behind an eerie feeling in their wake. A corner shop with glass windows on both sides had piles of furniture barricading the door to the rest of the company we were obviously not privy to. A young man rocked back in forth under the desk, a bottle pills sitting above him.

While my host's gaze was not intent on the situation mine was, he's already begun speaking as if I was paying attention. His body faced the opposite direction. A large gas truck had crashed its face into a grocery store, barring us out. He let out a long whistle. "Great. Guess we're not getting supplies then." My intake of breath called his attention. "You might wanna get those." Get…

"What?" My eyebrows knitted in confusion as his face twisted in frustration.

"Pills, woman! God damn." He huffed and continued his stride forward. Wait…! He was gonna leave me…Alone! "Hurry up."

Hesitantly, I made my way to the glass windows to find that there was no door. How the hell was I supposed to get inside if there was no freaking door? I heard a soft, notorious chuckle behind me. I whipped my head around to glare at him as he sauntered over and put himself between me and the window.

"You're really getting my nerves." He shoved his chest to no avail. "Move." He snickered, adding fuel to my fire. "I said move!"

"I'm not hard of hearing."

"Apparently you are, jackass." He feigned a yawn, but held his position. Growling in frustration, I swiped a rock the size of my hand from the concrete and launched at him.

"Holy shit!" He ducked and watched it crash into the window, spraying shattered glass all over the sidewalk and interior of the small room. "You throw harder than I thought." He took a look inside and grinned slyly. "Nice shot." Inside, the distraught person lied in a tangled heap on the floor, blood oozing from his skull. Shit… I breathed. Color flared in my cheeks, but when I went to fire a retort, he was no longer standing there, but had already made his way some twenty feet away and was standing by a car with a flashing red light inside.

Gingerly, I climbed over the window ledge, mindful of glass shards, and stumbled into the desk not two feet away, knocking the pills over. They rolled onto the floor and bumped into the wall. Gah! Stupid pills. I turned, but in doing so, the toes of my shoe kicked the bottle, sending it rolling further away to nestle into the corner.

"Don't let them get the best of you!" I heard a distinctive, familiar voice holler. I'm gonna kill him! I yanked the pills from the corner and hurdled myself through the shattered window, scraping my leg across a sharp shard in the process. I hissed in pain, but sprinted in the direction I had seen him go. He'd headed toward the pawn shop. Blood trickled down my leg. My hand clenched around the white bottle. In a desperate attempt to not be left for dead, my legs pumped my body to the shop. I wrenched open the handle and jumped over the countertop, knocking over the cash register in the process.

"My, she's graceful." A different, entirely male voice murmured sarcastically in jest. I froze. He wasn't alone.

"Hey, will you close that door!" A female voice! A familiar sigh shivered the air. The next thing I know, my tour guide stepped in front of me, clearly agitated. He gave me a deliberate look, and then lifted his gun. My heart skipped. Shit! He's gonna shoot me for being slow!

The shot split the loud silence in two, followed by the sound of a car alarm. "Oh, bullshit!" The female called. He hadn't shot me… My body sagged in relief. No sooner had I relaxed; however, then my muscles tensed. The still night turned into outraged howling. I whirled around, my breath huffing from my lungs. I saw a mass moving at an unbearable speed. As they got closer I realized that there had to be twenty… no a hundred of them! Infected persons with a disease I didn't want to be a fucking part of!

My heart slammed in my breast as they jumped through the glass windows heedless of any pain, and darted around the counter. I let out a scream and scrambled into the room, teetering onto my knees. "Shut the goddamn door!" I swung my leg forward, and kicked the door shut into a zombie's face. Fuck….

Trembling, I slid away from the steal contraption to face the others in the room. Others. But I only had eyes for the one who fucking toyed with me. "You!" I lurched to my feet and shoved him into the wall behind where he sat.

He snatched my wrists from the air. "If you keep getting physical with me, I'll think you want me."

"Ugh!"

"I think you like the attention." I tore my limbs from his warm hands.

"What the fuck was that about? Are you trying to murder me?"

"You were helpless. Couldn't even get inside. Tsk tsk." He mocked. I reached my arm back with the intent of making full contact with his jaw; however one of the others grabbed my hand from behind.

"He was just showing you what you're up against. He wasn't trying to leave you behind." The calm voice belonged to the female with her brunette locks pulled back into a ponytail. Loose strands framed her face. Reluctantly, I lowered my extremity. But one day he won't be so lucky.

"Not that he would mind the view." The blonde one added. The comment was met with wild laughter from both males.

"Man, if you weren't all the way over there, I'd high five you." He gave me a pointed look. "Besides, you were so helpless, I had to motivate you." He chuckled loudly, while adding ammo to his gun.

"I'm not helpless! And I sure as hell don't need you."

"Couldn't break a window without my assistance and it took you forever to grab a bottle of pills. Sounds pretty damn helpless to me." He joked and shrugged his shoulders indifferently. One of these days, he won't know what hit him.

"Enough, guys." The woman said. "I'm Zoey, nice to meet you." She smiled. "Don't mind these guys. They just haven't gotten any in a while."

"Maybe, _you _haven't, Zo." The blonde man's voice drew my attention. "Sage." He said when he noticed my gaze. I couldn't help but be intrigued by his attire. He'd donned tighter clothing in the punk style. Black pants, with a black vest slung over long sleeves. Black seemed to be the color of his choice. Even his nails and laced boots were raven in color. His hair stood out in sharp contrast, completely bleached, making his green eyes stand out.

"Ben, did you get supplies?"

"Nah, the damn truck beat me to it." They gave him quizzical looks.

"There was a truck obstructing the entrance to the store. We'll have to try elsewhere." When he'd stopped to ogle the truck's feat he'd commented about his urge for supplies. The "we" hadn't been intended for her, but his group! "So," Ben stood before me, towering over my five foot, two inch height, with his five-foot six inch one. There wasn't a glaring difference, but he presented himself in a way that made it look that way. Plus, I'm of a much more petite body frame than his built, muscular form. "If you're gonna part of this team, we have to have something to call you." He formed the word 'helpless' silently on his lips. I clenched my jaw in frustration.

"Trina."

"Welcome to the team, Trina."


	6. First Raid Bust

I attempted to follow Ben's fast past rigor with a machine gun glued to my hands. He disliked engaging in zombie combat without his fellow mates; however, Sage pulled an all-nighter on watchman duty and Zoey elected to stay behind to watch his back; not that anything could penetrate the steel doors of the safe room. She just didn't want to leave a man behind. Very noble.

So, being the last available resource, I became the butt of Ben's mocking jokes and reluctantly got to my feet. I remembered it going something like this:

_ "Okay, pussies, I'm getting morning shut eye, so don't touch me or I'll fucking shoot ya." Sage barked in his incredibly smooth voice riddled with fatigue. Mental note: Sage becomes a bitch without sleep._

_ "You didn't have to stay up all night, you know."Zoey retorted. She positioned herself opposite him in a corner, reloading a pump shot-gun with the mentality that every gun be available for future zombicidal murders. You never know what's going to happen._

_ "Fuck, man. I really wanted everyone together for a raid." Ben complained as he grabbed a health pack and slung it over his shoulder. In several seconds, he had it firmly attached to his back, out of his way for battle. "I was gonna go back to the train station to find supplies."_

_ "Do it without me. Sleep is calling my name and it's saying to get my ass over there." He hunkered down in the far right corner of the room, under the wooden-table and snatched a blanket off the floor. Ben growled in feigned frustration and launched a pillow at his partner's head. As strange as it was, I laughed for the first time in days at the show of brotherly conflict. Brothers bound by fate not blood. _

_ Sage plucked the feathery item from thin air and tucked it under his head. "Thanks, man." _

_ "No problem." Ben replied curtly albeit with the corner of his mouth turned up slightly at the ends. _

_ "I'll stay here." Zoey said. Immediately, a groan emitted from Ben's lips. No doubt, he was weighing the outlook of an evenly split team and survival. "No man left behind." Ben rolled his eyes and grit his teeth._

_ "Using my motto against me."_

_ "Hell yeah." She laughed. _

_ "Ho-bag." He grabbed his shot gun and headed for the door. Guess it was up to me. Uncertainty shook me as I reached for First-Aid and a dainty black gun. Hmm. Aiming away from the survivors, I fired a few rounds to find a plethora of bullets embedded in the wall. My eyes widened in shock, air flowing from my lungs in a loud breath. Sage started awake banging his head against the table in the process. I cringed slightly at the impact._

_ "What the fuck-?" _

_ "Holy shit!" Zoey cried out._

_ "Sorry!" I dropped the weapon at my feet._

_Ben looked right at me and said, "I might as well go alone." Rolling his eyes in a dramatic gesture, he exited the room, me on his heels. I take that back. He was weighing his odds of individual survival. Fuck him._

"_Close the goddamn door!" Zoey's voice rang. Right. Startled, I jumped, snatched the Uzie off the floor, and shut it tight behind me._

And that is how I ended up tailing Ben on his epic search for supplies. The first thing I noticed was a large gaping hole just outside the safe-room door that dropped into a pile of rubble enveloped by flames on one side and stumbling bodies on the other. There were only a few. What _happened _here? Best learn how to use a gun, Tri. Life or death demands it.

Ben paid no leisure at my expense. He unhooked the rod that barred the door shut from grunting infected and took off. I gazed at the jagged hole in the floor- no, the lack of floor was more accurate. "Looks like the floor caved in overnight." Ben remarked." We stood on a section that had remained intact. I hopped on the balls of my feet a couple of times to reassure myself that it was sturdy enough for our weight. Ben snickered lightly under his breath and leaped across the gaping hole to a smaller platform of rugged cement on the other side.

He dropped to one knee, crouching to get a better look under the cement. "Shit." He breathed. I eyed him cautiously.

"What's wrong?" He shot me an annoyed look.

"I can't see anything. Would you get your ass over here?"

"I don't know if I can jump that far." My heart slammed in my chest. I'm not a long jumper! You're lucky to get a couple feet out of my leaps much less spring over a collapsed floor.

"I'll catch you." I didn't know if I could trust him or not. He put away his weapon in a holster on his back. I looked at the weapon in my hands nervously and glanced below. I couldn't see anything but flames and, in sharp contrast, darkness. If I die, please don't let an infected eat me. I squeezed my eyes shut. "Hurry up, woman!" Startled, my eyes snapped open and I took a dart forward, adrenaline rushing through my veins. As my feet came to the ledge I had a fleeting moment of panic, but I managed to leap in the air…

And drop to the rubble below. I staggered as my feet went out from underneath me and I fell to my knees.

Ben's shoes hit the ground a second later with a soft thud behind me. "You really can't jump, you know."

I growled and reached to shove him, "You said you'd-", he slammed a hand into my chest cautioning me for silence. Just then a sickening snarl, followed by an exploding gunshot that spewed from Ben's gun ensued. The bullet whizzed by me and clawed through its victim. "Are you fucking crazy!" I spun around, eyes wide, as a grayish form collapsed at my feet. I cried out and leapt into his frame.

He snickered again and pushed me away. "Will you watch your back? I'm afraid you'll shoot mine!" He growled as he let loose another bullet that embedded itself in a lone infected.

I maneuvered myself around the dancing fire with a scowl. "If we survive this, I will." I muttered under my breath and came face to face with a gray form. A soft cry escaped my lips but masked by the string of rounds I released into its head. All 50 bullets. My breath came in quick pants, my eyes wide. I'm pretty sure Zoey could hear my heartbeat from the safe room above.

"You're such a wuss." He teased.

"Well, it's not like I can afford a hospital run, now can I?" He snickered at my failed attempt in humor.

"I'm sure the infected would greet you with open arms." My stomach tightened as I suddenly felt the urge to hurl.

"You ass."

"Yours is tighter." I glared at him but he had already turned his back, all business. Safety took precedence over banter, called for or not.

I brought the machine gun in front of me, my heart pounding in my breast as I kept my eyes trained on Ben's back. He'd already made it down the steps and had his back pressed to the stone wall, peering around the corner. With quick precision, he slid his shotgun securely on his back, and whipped out his double pistols.

I hurried to his side, gingerly stepping around the dead, gray body he had so kindly disposed of at my feet. His jaw tightened, but he made no sound to me. Instead, he nodded around the corner. I stepped silently in front of him as he slid back, trading places. I glanced around the corner. My breath came in quickly and I swallowed hard. Down past the escalators, zombies littered every nook and cranny of the train lobby.

While I stood in awe of the… fleet? Herd. Herd of zombies. God damn! There had to be dozens, down here. The virus spread faster below ground than it did on the quiet surface. Which reminded me, where did they disappear to? I heard a soft rustle and turned to watch Ben put away his pistols and draw out a long white device. "A pipebomb."

"Take cover." He lit the fuse. "Fire in the hole!" He cried with glee. Of course. Blowing things up. I shook my head and watched the beeping device soar through the air. In a flurry, the infected growled and grunted, climbing over each other to get to the flashing light, angry over the noise it emitted. I gasped as it drew infected from every corner. It began to beep faster an indication of nearing its detonation. I crouched behind a trash can as an explosion shook the underground. Dust and rubble trickled from the roof onto my skirt. Brushing it off, I stood up cautiously looking for Ben.

He was gone. Panicked I searched for him. I back tracked up the stairs, looked around the pillars. I squinted and caught sight of a lanky figure in the darkness. "Ben? Is that you?" I urged myself forward in the dark, but as I neared, the shape was considerably thinner than my comrade, and not as tall. I pressed my back against a stone and took a deep breath. I'm not a wuss. Flashes of Daniel's twisted face haunted me. I grit my teeth against the horrific image and whirled around the corner, my gun raised; but there was nothing there.

Something grunted beside me. "Don't touch me!" I whipped around and slammed my gun into its face. The tattered zombie staggered back to regain its balance and then charged at me with a raised fist. "Don't fucking touch me!" I whipped my gun back into its face and pounded it in with the butt of my gun, spraying blood everywhere. I cried at the loss of my friend, but refused to let up. Evil things! You took my best friend! I killed him. I killed my best friend! I howled in emotional pain.

I was so far gone that I didn't see an arm reach out from the corner of my eye and pull me back. I struggled against the strong warm flesh. "Nooo!" I stomped on its foot and rammed my head back into its nose.

"Jesus Christ!"

"Ben?" My body quivered. "I had to kill my friend!" My breath burned through my lungs, my chest heaved, my clammy fingers trembled. It was then that I noticed blood all over my fists and uniform. Shit…

He hauled me against him. Once he was sure I could stand on my own he said, "It's a good thing I found these." He pulled a pair of shorts and a tank top out of his backpack. He nodded in the direction of the safe room. "Come on. Let's go back."


	7. Out with a Bang

***Sorry for the long wait guys, I've been caught up and temporarily lost inspiration for this one. I apologize for chapter 6's shortness. This one is longer. Enjoy and let me know what you think! **

"Let's make our way to the gas station. It's bound to have food and it's only around the corner." It took my fuzzy brain to recognize Zoey's voice. I kept my eyes closed, groggily becoming aware of my surroundings through my other senses. I felt softness grace my fingers. A blanket. I smelled gun powder and sweat. Who knows when everyone last had a chance to bathe? Damn, my head. It felt like someone had put a 50 pound weight on it. It just wasn't ready to come to.

"No. She's not ready." Came an all too familiar, sharp voice. Ben's gruff voice split the quiet air. Not that he was loud. Just to the point.

"Dude, we need her. This shit has been difficult with only three."

"She can barely hold a weapon."

"She's just doesn't want to kill others, Ben. Let it go." Zoey's voice was reassuring. Thank god for another female survivor, otherwise I would lose my mind. I resisted the urge to groan. My back was stiff and my neck was sore. Probably slept on it wrong. Shit. That's the last thing I needed. I shifted slightly trying not to alert the others that I was awake. "You've seen her survival skills. She has the will to keep going."

"And a temper." Sage chuckled. "She's good competition for you." Ben threw him a dark look. At least that's what I pictured him doing in my head.

"She's awake." My eyes fluttered open in time to watch him turn his back and begin disassembling a big rifle with ridges around the neck. Ugh! My frickin' head! I rubbed my temples gingerly and squinted against the light in the room.

"Morning, sunshine." I glanced at Sage's wide grin, a welcome gesture since I'd been here. I smiled back. "How'd you sleep?"

"Like a princess with a pea under her mattress." I heard a low snort from the corner, but ignored it.

"Sounds great!"

"How about you?" Sage's green eyes sparkled with mischief.

"Like the pea under the mattress." My eyes widened as I burst into laughter. Even Zoey giggled, leaning back on her palms, one leg extended in comfort.

"You've been tossing a lot." She said quietly.

"Nightmares." I traced the white blanket absently with my finger, trying to divert my thoughts from the train wreck they were headed towards. I glanced at Ben's back and blushed slightly. I _had _lost my mind. If _he _was the one I turned to for aid. Zoey nodded sympathetically.

"We all have demons. I'm kicking mine in the ass."

"This isn't youth group, Sage." Ben barked.

"Fuck you." Ben whirled on Sage, but brown orbs were no match for threatening green.

"Forget it." He slammed a magazine into the machine gun and thrust it my direction. I stared at him in shock. "For Christ's sake." He tossed the weapon at me. My hands came up and plucked it out of the air. Ben glanced at me and the stopped in surprise, finding me already on my feet, gun at the ready.

"I'm no wuss, Ben." I yanked the trigger back and fired the full round past his head at the steel door. "It's time to kick my demons' asses." He smirked a little. And turned to gather supplies, latching on his first aid kit.

"There's the fire we fucking need!" Sage hollered. Pride flared through my body. Now I was dependable.

"Hell yeah!" Zoey cried. "Let's do this!" She grabbed a shotgun off the table and cocked it. We all stood there with our weapons of choice firmly in our grasp. Ben with an automatic shotgun. Zoey with her shot gun, pistols at the ready. Sage with a sniper rifle. And me, with the assault rifle Ben forged for me glued to my fingers. I doubt I would be picking out a wedding dress anytime soon so, just in case: this gun was the one.

I caught sight of CEDA posters scribbled out on the walls. "Where's CEDA?" I turned around to three blank faces.

"Not coming." Ben released the iron bar and tossed it on the floor. It made a loud crashing noise as it teetered and rolled. "Let's go." He turned to look at me. "And try not to shoot me in the back." Anger flared inside me. That ass. He was never going to be a decent frickin' person. I swiped the rod off the floor and placed my gun back in its holster on my back.

"Don't wanna lose that." Sage murmured at my ear. I stiffened for a moment and turned to him. He chuckled. "We need it to barricade the door."

"Let's go." Zoey remarked and headed to get Ben's back. I pushed the safe room door shut behind me and brought up the rear.

Ben continued into a dark storage room lined with shelves. He flicked the flashlight on his shotgun on and crouched around the corner. Nothing. He nodded in the direction. Sage gracefully tiptoed past his friend and swiped pills off the floor.

A growling snarl caught his attention. His eyes flicked to his right, and between the shelves, all the way against the wall, stood a person, wavering on his feet. Sage pointed the light at the ground in case things went awry and it was an infected not a human being. He tipped and stumbled into a shelf, knocking over tin cans the clattered against the floor. I jumped on the other side, my breath hitching. Ben peaked around the corner, but Sage put his hand up. Stay back. Ben gritted his teeth, but nodded once in acquiescence, ready to whip around just in case.

Sage inched forward, bringing his rifle up. He peered into the scope and zoomed in slowly. _Fucking gray as shit._ He thought. Hmm. Playfully, he flicked the flashlight off and on and off and on over the body. What was he doing? It's lips pulled back and snarled and dashed at Sage full speed. Hell no. There was no way that fucking thing was human.

In the silence, I heard the echo of a gunshot pierce the night, followed by a soft thud. Ben whirled around the corner, shotgun at the ready. Sage stuffed the pills in his pocket and began whistling softly. "Piece of cake."

Ben snorted. "It was only one."

"One more than you have."

"Yeah, yeah. We'll see."

"Hey, guys. Whoever has the most kills by the time we get back to the safe room gets the couch." Zoey quipped cheerily.

"Sweet, bring it!" Sage smirked.

"Fuck yeah. It's about time I got the couch." Ben chuckled.

"Better start making my bed."

"Not even."

"I'm not handing over the couch anytime soon, boys." Zoey grinned.

"We have company." I murmured. Three figures wobbled forward, swaying back and forth with no apparent awareness of their surroundings. One grabbed the door frame while another wandered past him. "They're not human."

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Three shots. I flinched. "Guess I'm not giving up my couch!"

"Shit, Zo." Sage pulled out a cigarette and lit the tip. He shook the fire out and placed it back in his pocket as he breathed a ring of smoke. "Save some ass for me."

I peeked around the corner, easing around the bodies to find Ben holding a molotov. "Here." He tossed it to me. I put it on my left hip remembering the last time I used a throwable. The first time I ever used one. Daniel. My throat tightened. "Would you hurry up?" I glared at him.

Sage tilted his head to the side. "Yo, what's going on?" He looked down at my fingers, still touching the bomb lightly.

"Remembering the last time I used a pipe bomb." His eyebrows rose slightly.

"Those aren't common."

Zoey joined us then with her hands occupied by two pistols. "There aren't that many infected by the green flu."

"How many were there?" Sage asked riveted.

"A lot. More than twenty, probably." I answered. "What's going on?"

"If you used one of those, every person with even the slightest hint of the virus in their blood stream were infected." Ben's voice silenced us with implications. Although not fully changed, they had been sensitive to flashing lights and loud sounds. A sign of brain deterioration of the green flu. Shit.

"They're changing fast." Her voice dropped and hovered above a whisper.

"Let's get some food quickly and head back."

"I don't like how quiet it is." Sage shifted slightly, the cigarette protruding from his lips. "Man I could go for some good sex right about now." He inhaled deeply.

"Why do you do that?" I asked.

"Relaxes me. Why do you act tough until we put a gun in your hands?"

"I see your point." I grimaced and turned away. Ass number two. I gazed at Ben's back. I guess you really change when you're on your own.

I caught up to Ben quickly while Zoey remained behind with Sage, bringing up the rear. "Why do you hate me?" He turned to look at me, his eyes hard, but quizzical.

"I don't hate you."

"Could have fooled me." I retorted.

"Look, miss thing, this isn't a joy ride. It's no place for people who can't shoot a weapon."

"Well excuse me for not wanting to take life!" My cheeks flared red, my eyes sparking. How dare he! He stopped and planted himself in front of me.

"Well when it comes to mine, will I know that you have my back, or do I have to guess you're not going to put a bullet through it?" His voice rang through the alley. I barely noticed the open back of a truck barring the rest of the alley.

"You'll just have to trust me!"

"Trust you? You can't even get pills on your own!" He snorted and brushed me aside as we took a detour through a kitchen.

"I can do whatever the fuck I want, Ben." I reached up and grabbed his shoulder, pulling him around, my fists balling up in anger. His brown eyes darkened, shocked by my manhandling. He swatted my hand away and whipped past me into the dining area.

"What the fuck guys!" Sage bounded for us, just as Ben turned on his heel. "What the fuck is going on?"

"Just checking that her panties are still on. We're taking the lift." Ben urged on, completely ignoring me, leaving me to simmer. Several bodies lied slumped over tables. Zoey eased her slim body around the chairs, weaving around the tables expertly.

"The lift?" Sage's jaw tensed as he eyed the corners of the diner. "But the gas station is next to it. We don't need it." Both Zoey and Sage looked at each other and then at Ben. What was he thinking?

"Dead." Zoey murmured. She put her hand out and gently pushed the glass doors apart. We filed through, Zoey leading, followed by Ben and Sage. I kept an eye out behind us, keeping the assault rifle up. Can't be too careful.

Zoey slid down the length of the eighteen wheeler, her pistols by her head. She slid one foot out, planting it in the dirt for balance as she swiveled her shoulders around the corner and breathed. "Shit!" She hid behind the truck, coming back to us. "They're everywhere."

"We can use these." I held up the pipe bomb Ben had tossed me. He has one of his own.

"Too risky. It might set off the gas station."

"Oh." Yeah, shit. That would be bad. Zoey gathered us closer.

"We go in hot and make a break for the lift." She reloaded her weapons.

"And don't shoot the lift." Ben warned as he rounded the corner firing, Zoey hot on his heels, unleashing her own fury. Zombies howled at the raucous and charged them. Ben ducked under a fist and jammed the butt of his gun into the infected's stomach. Zoey barreled it down, planting a powerful bullet from her shot gun in the pit of its stomach, blowing the creature flying. She rammed her gun into the faces of those who got too close.

"Ben's right, it'll blow it's top if you shoot it." He patted my back, gave me a reassuring smile and whipped around with his hunting rifle, getting Zoey's back. Infected swarmed Zoey, jabbing at her. She smacked them away and shot a few down. Sage sprinted into action, springing into the air, and spun a full 360 degrees before thrusting his heel into a zombie's skull. He shot and rammed his gun into the throat of a business woman. She dropped to the ground impervious to pain and struggled to get up. In the midst of all the chaos Sage didn't notice the zombie getting back on its feet to claw at the back of his neck.

I ran up behind it yelling, "Watch out!" A swung the rod in my hands, spearing the infected straight through.

"We'll wanna clean that." Sage chuckled darkly.

"Behind you!" Zoey cried. I whirled onto a zombie built for the CIA body guard. I gasped and whipped the rod back around at its head. I heard a sickening crack but he kept at me. His fist rammed into my chest, hurtling my across the pavement, barreling through other infected. There were too many. Gasping in pain, I struggled to my feet, discarding the steel rod for my assault rifle. Time to test drive this baby.

My eyes widened in shock as I gazed up him standing over me. Before I could consciously make the decision, I fired the magazine, the bullets lodging themselves in its brain. It dropped to its knees and fell forward onto me. "Ah! Get off!" I shoved it and wiggled, panting. Can't breathe! Pain threatened to overwhelm me. I got a foot loose, then my leg. It wasn't enough. It was crushing me. Zombies swarmed over me, punching and kicking at my body.

Nobody knew I was down. "Get to the lift!" I heard Zoey's voice over the din. I saw the top of her head bob through the infected, smacking them away to give her the lead she needed.

"Sage!" Ben hollered. Sage whirled around and in a second that seemed to last a lifetime, he caught my eye. His eyes widened over my incapacitated form. I felt something warm slide down my ribcage. Blood? I screamed. Horror jarred him to action.

My scream caught Ben's attention. He whipped around to find its source and saw Sage coming back for me. Torn between staying with Zoey and helping the rest of the team, he glanced back at his partner on the lift.

"Go! I'll hold them off!" She fired her pistols as if they were a machine gun, punching any who tried to climb onto the contraption. Ben took off in our direction raising his gun to fire at the infected in his way, but there were too many to ward off so easily. He would have to fight his way through.

Sage threw his entire body at the zombies, grabbing my assault rifle and shooting them down one after the other. Breath escaped my body. Oxy-gen… Need… air! I fought to no avail under the body and let out a silent scream of pain. One by one the infected dropped to the ground. Sage put his hands on either side of the dead carcass atop me and shoved with all his strength. It rolled over as I gasped frantically, sweet air filling my lungs, tears streaming down my dirt stained cheeks.

"Let's get up!" He hauled me to my feet, as Ben came rushing in to fight off the rest of the zombies trying to attack me. Once on my feet, I groaned loudly.

"Shit, this hurts." I clutched my side.

"Cover us, man." Sage clenched the burning cigarette, which managed to survive the horde, between his teeth as he brought out his first aid kit. "This will take the edge off." He inserted a needle onto my thigh. I hissed slightly.

"Morphine?"

"Just a tad." His hands worked over my body, bandaging what needed to be covered. "Luckily, you weren't cut. A few bruises, but that's it." He tossed the wrappers on the ground.

"Is she okay?" Ben asked.

"She's a trooper." He patted my shoulder. "Come on." It hadn't been blood. I touched my shirt. Just sweat from the heat.

Ben's posture relaxed a little as he turned toward the lift and got a face full of zombie fist. He staggered back and brought his gun up, but the infected swatted the gun. Purely an accidental expidenture. Ben pushed the zombie away, but like a clown toy, it came back and swatted again. This time it caught the Molotov at Ben's hip, knocking it out of its holster. "Fuck!" Zoey brought her shotgun up and fired. The zombie hit the ground just as the fire began to spread.

Ben sprinted to the lift away from the flames. "Shit! Shit! No!"

"Trina! Sage!" Zoey cried. The fire spread, rapidly, angrily dancing between the split team, separating them. Sage yanked on my shoulders.

"Back up!" We both tensed, watching as the flames licked ever closer to the gas station. We relaxed as it flamed and quit spreading. We breathed sighs of relief. Zoey and Ben exhaled as well. Then without warning, it flared up in one final finale, encompassing the base of the station. The main fire died down, but the flames still lived on under the gas pump. It sparked, sending a loud crack into the air like a fire work.

My eyes widened horror. I don't know who screamed. Me? Ben? Zoey? All of us. Sage and I sprinted toward the lift. Just as the pump exploded, Sage shoved me forward, sending me sprawling past the lift. Heat flared up around the pumps, metal flew past my cheek. I ducked and covered my head. "Nooo!" Scrap pieces were hurdled in all directions.

"Saaaaaggee!" Zoey ear curdling scream split the air. Zoey threw herself off the lift, Ben right at her heels.

"Search the ground!"

"Fuck, fuck! No! Sage!" I sobbed with my head under my arms, emotions like a torrent inside me.

Ben threw a metal bar to the side, hoping his friend had survived and not perished in the blaze. A few flames danced weakly as rain drops pelted us from above. A sign. A bad one. Cold water slid down our shirts, soaked our clothing, dripped down our faces and hair. Finally I got to my feet and continued our search.

Ben swallowed hard, tilted his head back to the sky, and screamed.

"He's over here!" Zoey cried out as she shoved a piece of metal back to reveal Sage's face. I stumbled through the rubble after Ben.

Please… Please… Please don't be…

"Dead."


	8. Total Annihilation

The day couldn't have gotten worse. Sage was no longer there to put up a fuss about getting shut- eye. Remembering those shining green eyes sparkling with mischief made my own mist up. My heart twisted in pain of the fallen survivor. Zoey's face was covered in dirt save the streaks from fresh tears down the middle of each.

"We have to keep moving." Ben said quietly. "It's not safe here." He knelt beside the rubble and began moving aside debris. What's he…

"…_cough_… Hey, guys… Think you…can lend.. me… a _cough_… hand…" My heart seized in my chest. It couldn't be! All of our heads snapped to his face as we gathered around.

"Sage!"

"Don't move! We'll get you out of here." Zoey cried out urgently. "Move the crap out of the way. Let's get him out of here!" Zoey gently, yet swiftly began chucking rocks and metal sheets out of the way. I shuffled through gravel, pawing at any loose rubble as it trickled past my knees. Come on, Sage! Health kit, where's that health kit? Frantically, I began searching my person and the immediate area surrounding his fallen form for anything to bring him back to his feet.

Ben began rummaging through his backpack and pulled out a water bottle. He put it gently to Sage's charred lips. My heart clenched as I watched him struggled to part his mouth around the bottle's opening and flinch in pain. Grimacing from the unexpected movement, Sage allowed Ben to pour some into his mouth.

"There you go, buddy. Take it easy." Sage smirked, or attempted to in his state. Half his face was peeling from the burn.

"I'm not a lightweight, get me up." Ben rested his elbow on his knee, the bottle hanging at an angle to the sky.

Ben smiled half-heartedly. "Up it is, then." He slid the bottle back into the backpack and zipped it up. After pulling the straps over each shoulder, he began digging Sage out. Even with all three of us working tirelessly, the task was tedious and with tour painstaking efforts, it took a while to get halfway there.

We all grinned in relief. "Almost there, buddy!" Ben hooted. Sage chuckled softly and closed his eyes.

"Don't quit your day job, guys. At this rate you'll be locked up in your coffins before I'm out." He coughed again, a little blood oozing form the corner of his lips. I breathed haltingly. No Mercy. We need to get to No Mercy. I shook my head to dispel the image in front of my eyes and tried to picture Ben smacking Sage in the back of the head and laughed. If circumstances were different and the action didn't mean putting him in a coma… maybe. I took hold of a piece of sheet metal and tugged it loose. I lifted my shoulders to heave it aside and froze.

"..So much pain…" He murmured weakly.

There, embedded in Sage's right side, protruded a large piece of shrapnel. Red fluid dripped from the rusted tip and oozed around the wound. Just then Zoey made a strangle cry as she shoved aside more cement. It tumbled off his disfigured legs and waist. The cement block has smashed his hips in as the explosion twisted his crippled body and crushed it beneath metal and rock. I gasped and closed my eyes, my face contorting in agony, tears squeezing from the corner of my eyes. I could hear Zoey's stifled sobs. "Sage…" Ben clenched his fists. If only he could have done something. His body tensed emotionally.

Gurgling noises alerted us back to his panicky eyes. "…Guys?" Med kit… Med kit! Through the haze of my own tears, I rifled through all the crap on the ground until I came across the first aid kit. Uhm… What to use first… A hand touched my wrist firmly. I turned to give Ben a piece of my mind, but it wasn't Ben's brown eyes I came face to face with, it was Zoey's soft agonized ones. She gently shook her head. "Guys!" I heard choking sounds.

"Sage!" I screamed. He's in so much pain! It can't end like this! Fuck this! Fuck the sick people! I'm never letting anyone touch me ever again! I sat beside him attempting to smear on some burn cream.

"He's too far gone… We can't help him…" Her voice sounded far away to me, like we were on different planets, in different universes. My trembling hands only caused him to wince more as I failed more than once to apply Neosporin and Aloe with Lidocaine. Zoey slid the first aid kit from my lap. It made a soft sounds as it slid over my new slacks.

"Move…" Ben's voice was so low I could hardly hear. It caused me to look up at him.

"What..?" Zoey guided me backwards toward the lift, holding my shoulders firmly. I stiffened. Don't touch me. Ouch. Damn. I shrugged her off. When I looked back, her face twisted, struggling for self- control. She sobbed slightly but pushed me harder. "What's going on? What's he…?"

I heard a loud gasp from Sage and rubble shifting around. I whirled to find that Ben had eased a syringe into Sage's distorted leg. My eyes widened wildly. "Morphine."

"Noooo!" I screamed and lunged forward to stop him, though it was too late, but Zoey's arms wrenched me back.

"It's a mercy killing!" Just then, the coughing ceased and Sage's body went limp. I shoved her away and snatched my assault rifle off the ground, my hair whipping around my filthy face.

"We can't leave him here!"

"We have to go on!" Ben cried out. "We're all distressed, but staying here means putting us all in danger. We don't stand a chance out here in the open." Fuck! I hated to admit he was right, so I shut up and refused to talk. It was a silent trek the next few second that stretched into eternity as climbed aboard the lift. Well Ben and Zoey hopped up as if it was no problem. I sort of hauled myself up and swung my legs up like a ninja.

With Ben in the lead, he pushed the button and it lurched to life, squeaking all the way to the top. Ugh. Horrible sound. Somebody should have… done something. I was too distraught to put a coherent thought together. The annoying sound attracted little attention since we'd cleaned the place out. I couldn't really feel my aches in pains right now. Boy would I feel them in the morning. If I live that long.

I really don't remember much after dropping down the hole. Normally Ben would have been ecstatic to find supplies. There was a random ammo accumulation on a desk with over turned chairs by it's side. Ibuprofen littered the floor under loose leaf papers left behind. Whoever abandoned the office, did so in a hurry. Zoey cautiously checked the closet. There was a homemade pipebomb in the very back. Those things seem to be sprouting up everywhere now. She picked up a backpack, an unopened Dasani water bottle, and a box of Twinkies.

"What's in the bag?" I still hadn't recovered my voice yet, so I remained silent during the strained exchange.

"Half- eaten sandwich. Some chips in a Ziploc bag, a flashlight, and some band aids." Zoey dropped the bag in disgust and shivered. "I don't want the infection from _any_ of that." Ben nodded and flipped open a side pocket and shook the contents out. A few loose coins clattered to the floor, spinning out beside his knee.

"A wallet with no I.D., car keys, and a receipt." He glanced over the receipt, but I turned to gaze out the window, uninterested. "He went to Giant Panda the other day for lunch." Ben snatched the keys and discarded the rest. "Hopefully these go to a car."

"Or it looks like we're walkin'." Rain began to drizzle from the gray sky.

"Let's go back to the street and find it. We can climb down from the pipe outside." Ben touched my shoulder gently; tensing I threw his hand off. _Don't touch me! He could have it!_ It was a bleak night. Not even a teasing joke about my inability to slide down a pole escaped his lips. Actually, in my current state of numbness, acrobatics were much easier. My brain disregarded any danger.

Zoey dropped silently behind Ben as I flipped off the fence a few seconds later at their side. Who knew I was that flexible? We made it to the fence and proceeded to climb over it to the streets on the other side, putting us back where we were earlier by the Pawn Shop. Fucking 'A' man. We went through all of that shit just to end up back here? Zoey turned to face one side of the street as Ben began spamming the key's unlock button. "Please be a car!" No sound. Of course he had to choose a key with a broken battery.

"You had to find keys with a broken battery." Zoey teased.

"Fuck!"

"Better start trying them all."

"With all the abandoned cars that'll take all night." I griped. They bother turned to scowl at me.

"We don't have much choice, Trina." Zoey responded faster than Ben, whose response I could tell was a far cry from Zoey's polite, but desperate tone.

"Whatever." I scowled at the damp street, feigning interest in the soft patter of rainfall on the pavement. I glanced at the watch on my wrist. Oh damn. Completely forgot I was wearing this. Luckily the batter isn't dead, or I'd tear into a million pieces. As Ben began jumping from door to car door, I tweaked my watch a bit to display date and time. "Wow." That can't be right. It couldn't have been just five days ago that I quit school, lost my best friend, and ruined my uniform.

"Time goes by quickly." I nodded as she approached me. "Look, I know things are tough. We've all lost someone." Icy rain chilled my spine as it slithered down the back of my shirt causing me to shiver. The purple umbrella flashed into my head. I squeezed my eyes shut. Why is it that I can recall the color of the umbrella? If only Daniel was he- Daniel. I miss him so much. He could tell me anything. I remembered the ease in which the umbrella slid into his body, making a sponge-like noise after you ring it out full of soap.

Soap. That reminded me of mom. Friday. Mom makes cookies today. My gut twisted. "I have to find my mom." I whispered, not sure if anyone heard me.

I looked up as Zoey was bending down, her eyes curious. Her fingers lifted a piece of paper off the ground. I edged closer for a better look. "What's that?" Her brown eyes narrowed.

"It doesn't look like Norfolk held out. Or anywhere else for that matter." My eyes widened as they fell upon the tiny red x's blotching out major cities in the north and along the coast. A red circle graced Pennsylvania's contours. I took the map gingerly. Fairfield. "Looks like we're the next stop."

"Whatever this is, CEDA's done a fantastic job covering it up." Anger seeped through my voice. Despite failing to brief the public on a potentially hazardous failed science experiment that has cost hundreds of lives, they kept it secret, afraid to send the public into a frenzy of panic. I tossed it on the ground, letting a puddle gradually overtake it. "Now all that's left is to clean up the mess they made."

"We've got a lot of work to do." She pinched the corner of the wet map and eased it out of the water to spread it on the back of a car. All of a sudden the alarm went off catching us all off guard. "Oh, shit!" We jumped ten feet in the air and staggered away from the vehicle. Even Ben froze. Wait for it. My breath hitched in the silence.

"Jesus Christ!" My heart hammered in my chest as I slumped against the fence. Abruptly a long grayish arm launched past my face through the triangles in the fence, barely missing my cheek.

Gasping I whirled to face it, but it grabbed arm, yanking me back into the twisted metal. "Ah!" I can't get my hand in that much less anything else! My weapon is useless in this position! Shit! My eyes widened in horror as I watched it's disfigured arm wrap itself around my shoulder, I heard a pop and thought for sure it was me. But no pain followed. It's arm sagged down my shoulder and I let out an ear piercing scream. It's disfigured wrist yanked against my throat, cutting the noise off in a swift, uncontrolled movement and then continued to jab at my neck. I gasped before reaching back and grabbing a fistful of cloth. I heard the jingling of the fence as he tried to penetrate with his other arm. I yanked with all my strength as a gunshot split the air.

I heard the body collapse behind me but I was too stiff to move. A bullet had just whizzed by me. That close. "You could have killed me!"

"There you are. I was beginning to think I lost you back at the station."

"You ass!" I turned to find a man crumpled into the bottom of the fence, left wrist caught in one of the holes. Blood dripped from the right shoulder where an arm had been. An arm… I froze again and let my eyes slide slowly to the extremity in my hands. "Oh, shit!" I dropped it at my feet and stumbled back. Don't touch me! Don't touch me! But I danced back into Ben and leaped away from him. "Sorry. Thanks. No problem." My heart thundered in my ribcage, adrenaline pumping through my veins.

Ben cocked his head to the side. "When you're coherent let me know. That way is blocked off." He jabbed his thumb at a fence. He turned to Zoey and her map. "What's that?"

"It's a map of the U.S. Look." She ushered him over. Both of us gathered around the small piece of paper as her finger traced the coast. Hey, it has a protectant coating on it. It would have taken longer for the water to do any real damage to it. Leave it to CEDA to protect their route and then leave it lying around. Tch. "Looks like we're not the only ones. Virginia, Florida, Michigian, Fort Lauderdale…" Her finger past over all the states on the east coast. "…entire east coast is gone."

"Jesus.. So the x's represent…"

"Deaths of states." I chimed in. They both gave me this strained look.

"Right." Zoey acquiesced. "X's usually mean something's not an option. Based on the where the circles are on the map…" She pointed to Pennsylvania and Louisiana. "… Those are major ports, easily accessible in times of need. CEDA would have recognized this during an evacuation."

"But why wait so long to evacuate everyone? Why one state at a time? When Virginia evacuated, why didn't we get anyone or hear anything about it?"

"Spread too quickly?" Ben suggested. Zoey shook her head.

"I don't know."

"CEDA's all hush hush. They probably didn't tell people to evacuate because they didn't know what was causing it."

"Until now. We've talked about this before… Well you got here." She looked at me.

"I don't know." Ben rubbed the back of his neck. "CEDA knows the shit they get into. They know exactly what did this and didn't want responsibility for the fucking outbreak."

"Either way, CEDA's not coming. Circles must indicate major evacuation points. No Mercy in Fairfield and…" She poured over the map extensively for a few moments and shrugged. "I don't know about Lousiana."

"It's the only viable evacuation point. Look at the white boxes."

"It looks like the escape route." I noted.

"Exactly! The next one enroute is New Orleans."

"That's why it's marked on the map. CEDA's next big move was to trek all the way down there."

"Well it makes sense, look at all those x's around Penn state." I ogled. CEDA's full of cowards, but being a pedestrian I didn't really like…

"Pennsylvania is surrounded!" I exclaimed. Oh damn. I'm screwed. I don't have a hope of getting out without one of those things touching me.

"No." Zoey smoothed her hands over the map as if to stretch it out and make it bigger. "Pennsylvania's the epicenter of the infection."


	9. Migraine

**Day 13**

Gradually, I peeled my eyes apart with a soft groan.

Ringing sounded threw my hollow eardrums increasing the steady pounding in my head. Ugh. It's like someone took a hammer and smashed me in the back of the head. I dared not move. Everything ached so bad.

I shut my eyes against the piercing light and whimpered softly. I opened my lips to speak, "_Help…_" But only a soft raspy whisper came forth. I began to tremble. What _happened_? Where was everyone? I tried to engage my voice again, but nothing came out. My heart beat thrummed in my chest cavity creating panicky music; a rush of blood warmed my ears.

Behind closed lids, my eyes stung. As soon as my head began to shake, pain shot through the back of my skull. My breath caught in my throat as I slowly dared myself to turn my head. I lifted it gently from the floor and screamed out in pain, except it sounded more like a wild silent cry. Tears streamed down my cheeks, my chest erupted in fiery torture. What the hell was happening to me? Ben! Zoey! Help me! Fucking help me! Where the hell are you guys? I sobbed desperately, unable to move for the pain.

_**Day 8**_

_ "Don't forget the Ibuprofen we found in the cabinet." Zoey said as we packed essentials into our backpack. _

_ "I got 'em." Ben replied, tossing them with flare across the room. They bounced off the edge of the table and into the bag. Zoey snorted._

_ "If only you were that talented when shooting." _

_ "You wish you could be as good as me." _

_ "As if." She smirked playfully. It was good to see them smile again. The last few days had been hard. Granted, I'd only known them for four, but the impending apocalypse left no room for depression. So many at school got sick. Hopefully they were better. Hopefully a cure was being administered in a nearby city. I sniffed in disdain. Not likely. _

_ A pang of sorrow pricked my heart. Daniel. Nightmares still plagued me about the train. God, I hope I don't have to do that to Ben or Zoey. We already lost… lost Sage in a…freak accident. I don't think I can take much more. But I have to do what I can. _

_ I brushed my pants free of loose dirt and groaned at the mud caked around the ankles. My shoes were a lost cause. My mother would have a hissy fit trying to replace them. I wondered who had worn my pants… I shuddered and had the distinct urge to rip them off and go bare. But I relented against the idea of being out in the freezing rain and having the drops slide down my bare calves and thighs. Hell no. Dead body or no dead body, I wasn't going to discard pants that would protect me from hypothermia._

_ "Chill, woman. A little dirt never killed anyone." Ben leaned against the wall leisurely._

_ "You don't know that." He shrugged._

_ "Man, you need to get laid. Maybe it would loosen you up." He winked at me. My cheeks flooded with crimson. What the hell was his problem? But rather than the anger I'd thought I had to fight down, I found myself withholding laughter. He's totally back to normal. Stupid emotions. Uh oh. _

_ "Shut up. It's been four days since we met and I doubt you had any before then." _

_ "What are you saying?" He perked up, intrigued._

_ "I'm saying that little Jimmy is talking for you." I smirked and threw him a bottle of water._

_ "You little-"_

_ "We need to get moving. Do you have the map, Ben?" Zoey interjected quickly, but casually. _

_ "Yeah I have it, but my head's just fine! I'm not sex crazed!"_

_ "Coulda fooled me." I retorted playfully and heaved my gun up. Err, this thing is heavy. I pulled it around my back and secured it in place. Yeah, let my back do most of the work._

_ "… not going to get away with that." Apparently, I had tuned him out. Zoey ushered us over._

_ "Look over here." We moved over to the glassless windows and peered out over the fence barring our escape to the streets beyond. _

_ "What are we looking at?" I asked. I saw a bunch of large buildings and a few rats. Come to think of it, I hadn't seen much life at all. Not a single bird in the sky, or spider in a web. Other than rats, it remained dead in this part of the city._

_ "There are lights on in the building." I followed her finger to a distant apartment complex that looked familiar. _

_ "I think my apartment is over there! It's not mine, but somewhere nearby."_

_ "That's back where we came from, Zo."Ben complained in a hushed whisper trying not to kill my excitement._

_ "It's the only shot we have. There may be help." I paused. No, this wasn't right. This wasn't what we were supposed to do._

_ "We'd be back tracking." I said quietly. _

_ "It took us days to get here. It's wet and we may find clues up ahead." For once Ben and I agreed on something. _

_ "Mercy Hospital is just around the corner." Figuratively speaking. We could see the green letters lighting up the top of the building. It wasn't far._

_ "There's no life around here." She gestured out in the open as a gust of wind blew in. I shivered from the nippy air. Stay away wind. I don't want to get sick! I can't be fighting some strange alien flu and the common cold too. My mind went through a million infections I could contract. Staff. Flu. Cold. Cough. Pneumonia. "…stores on the other side. We haven't been able to access anything around here and we're running low on supplies. Better to backtrack than to starve to death or freeze to death." _

_ Ben growled lightly and bit his lip. She's right though. But my gut told me to keep going. "Zoey, we can still make it to Mercy Hospital and get help. It's not far, and I'm sure there are plenty of doctors to help." _

_ "If there are, they're probably administering to the already infected people. They'll still be there when we get back. We're only losing two days."_

_ "Almost three." I countered._

_ "We'll be lucky if the doctors aren't over run too. How do you know they're not immune to whatever the hell this is going around? We'd be walking into a death sentence." Ben seethed. _

_ "If you don't want to go back and you don't want to go forward, where do you suggest we go?" Zoey folded her arms across her chest in a standoff. Like brother and sister. In any other circumstance this might be cute. Frustrated, he ran his fingers through his hair. _

_ "We go back. We can find a store that's still running, gather supplies and hole up in an apartment until help arrives." No one would see us there though. Unless he hopes CEDA comes back or they find a vaccine in time. _

_ "We need to keep going. We can only defend for so long and there might be help at the hospital."_

_ "_Might _be."_

_ "There are no guarantees in your plan either, smart ass!" I snapped. This isn't fair! We can't go back now. We can't give up! We _have _to keep going._

_ "Would you two shut up?" Zoey interrupted. "We need to work together." The tense air intensified as both me and Ben blew out a huff of hot air. We turned away from each other. Ben pretended to be double checking the backpack even though they had everything and I meandered awkwardly looking for anything could use. We searched this room a dozen times already. "We go back, store up on supplies, and head for No Mercy." We nodded once. Ben didn't like it any more than I did, but it included something from everyone._

_**Day 10**_

_ We backtracked toward the previous safe room as the sun began to rise. We passed the site where Sage's dead body lied covered beneath rubble of the gas station. I found myself walking in that direction. It was so cold outside. I could see my breath mist in front of me as I breathed. I suppressed a giggle as I remembered Sage carelessly tossing his hoodie over his head, proud that he'd been the only one to think ahead._

"_Trina?"_

"_I know, I know." A few loose threads from his hoodie lingered over loose rock. Loose rock? My hearted quickened. As I descended the latter from the lift, I noticed rocks were strewn everywhere. I rushed over to the burial site. Gravel looked as if it had caved into a small crevice where Sage was buried. "Guys! Look!" I heard a soft groan. _

"_Come on, Trina." We don't have time for this. I felt Zoey at my shoulder._

"_Ben, look." She rummaged through the loose dirt and pebbles, letting them sift through her fingers. Ew, don't touch his body. It's probably decayed and withered by now. I squeezed my eyes shut tight. _

"Where_ is he?" Ben's deep voice resonated quietly in the large area. My eyes flew open._

"_What?" I pushed Zoey aside and began digging fruitlessly. Where Sage's body had been was nothing but dirt. _

_ Ben tensed. "Be on the look- out."_

_ Zoey's voice came slowly, in disbelief. "We need to keep moving." My heart thumped loudly in my breast and nodded slightly. Sage. He might be alive! We'll find you!_

_ Ben took the lead, walking cautiously and checking every corner. Zoey guarded the back, turning around with gun in hand just in case we were followed. The darkness seeped into our limbs, making the dull and tired. Ugh. My legs hurt so bad. I dropped back to Zoey._

_ "Hey, I think we should stop soon. We're all feeling the day and I know I freaking hurt all over." We both peered at Ben and noticed his slightly limping gait. _

_ "Hey, dude, let's call it a night and get some shut eye." She called. Ben turned hesitantly._

_ "We can't stop here. It's not covered." He was right. The middle of a dank alley was no place to make camp. Droplets of water patted against my shoulder. I looked up and blinked. Stupid rain. _

_ "Will this rain ever stop?" I griped. _

_ "I hope so. It sucks not having a weather app to check." That's right! None of us had phones on us. Ahhh. This day just kept getting worse. I hit my head lightly on the brick wall beside me. _

_ Ben came over to us. "Hey, the pawn shop is just around the corner. We'll be dry in there." His light voice left me all tingly. _

**Day 13**

Ben. Ben. Come back for me. You promised you'd come back for me! My body shook with sobs. I wiggled my cold fingers. I could barely feel them. My heart dropped. My entire core trembled in fear. I lifted my hands. So far no pain. My forearms supported by my elbows. I let them fall. I took deep breaths to calm my heart. I could lift my arms! My right arm shook as I guided it to my face. Cold fingers wiped my cheeks.

Ever so slowly, I let my eyes open just a crack. Smooth white curve. My brain registered this as the underside of a train chair. My head roared with pain. Worst fucking migraine ever. A wet sob escaped my lips as the blurriness faded. Why was everything so red? The walls had a reddish hue to them, as if a film at been placed over my eyes. I began to panic again. What the hell is going on? Where am I? I jerked as if to lift myself from the ground and heard a sickening tear from the back of my skull. I screamed in agony, a full throaty screech. I whirled and caught myself on a bench. No, not bench, chair. Cushioned. Why was it on its side? Blood everywhere.

Where my head had been, dark red flesh clung to the floor where my aching skull had stuck. Quaking, I tumbled backwards. My hands cautiously felt the back of my head, my face scoured in tears of red. My fingers found a patch of missing hair and flesh. A terrified cry tore from my lips. I ran from the narrow cart and into a large cavern. No. No, I recognized this place. Uh… Subway. Subway. I curled up into a ball in the corner and cried tears of blood. Someone will find me, they have to.


End file.
